Feta
Produced since ancient times, Feta is stored in a brine solution. In fact the word "feta" translates as "slice" and derives from the practice of cutting the cheese into slices before immersing it in barrels of salty water.
- Aroma Salty flavour due to the brine
- Taste Salty, complex aroma
- Texture Mild, crisp and granular texture
Basic info
Category: Soft
Appearance: Rindless, wet and rough surface; bright white body colour; usually sold in a vacuum-packed or in brine
Varieties: Natural, with basil/tomato, oregano/olives, etc. There are now products in the market where the feta is sold in dry, crumbly state thus reducing the sodium level.
How to enjoy them?
Summer would not really be summer without a Greek salad prepared when tomatoes are perfectly ripe, lettuce is crunchy and vegetable market stalls overflow with cucumbers and bell peppers. Impossible also to do without Feta, especially drizzled with olive oil and flavoured with fresh basil!
Robust tasting, Feta is delightful in the most varied dishes: in a shrimp casserole, with spinach in flaky pastry, in gaspacho, on pizzas, with roasted vegetables, between two slices of foccacia, in a panini, in an omelette, etc. With a glass of white wine, a few Calamata olives and a herb flavoured foccacia, Feta is simply incomparable!
How are they made?
The curdled milk, using either rennet or microbial rennet, is separated and allowed to drain. The curds are cut and salted and then pressed to form a larger mass. The cheese is then allowed to sit in brine solution to cure. Feta is traditionally packaged with the brine solution; however, some Fetas are now vacuum packed in small tubs without brine.
Visit the cheesemaking page to learn more about how Canadian cheeses are made.
Conservation
Storage
About two weeks. Store Canadian Feta in the brine it was sold in, or in lightly salted water. Be sure to always respect the “best before” date.
Freezing
All cheeses can be frozen but do keep in mind that freezing can affect their texture and character. This is why thawed cheeses are best used for cooking. Neither the taste nor the texture of meals cooked with previously frozen cheeses will be affected.
You can freeze cheeses, in pieces of 500 g or less, for up to two months! Make sure they are carefully wrapped in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight freezer bag. It is important to allow them to thaw slowly in the refrigerator before using.
